Thursday, May 27, 2010

It seems like MPs are finally breaking to the pressure from the public on opening their books to Auditor General Sheila Fraser in having a look at their expenses. They have been stonewalling for weeks now giving all kinds of lame excuses why not to have their expenses audited. They could have saved all this trouble by telling Ms. Fraser from the get go, she can see anything she so chooses at her convenience. They wouldn't have looked as though they're trying to hide something. I think though, the optics were terrible and has left a bad taste in the mouths of the public.

The moves come as a new poll suggests four out of five Canadians believe their MPs are breaking the rules on expense claims.

The Conservatives have come up with a plan to end the controversy around the disclosure of MP expenses that would allow Auditor-General Sheila Fraser to look at the books of members of Parliament and senators.In developing the proposal, the Tories hope to halt the barrage of criticism directed at MPs of all stripes since the Board of Internal Economy, the committee of MPs responsible for House of Commons expenses, declined two weeks ago to let Ms. Fraser audit Parliament’s financial statements.

Well it's at least a start. The MPs and Senators must not put any conditions on the AG in what she can see and not see. She should be given full disclosure. If they don't, the whole thing will still stink. The public has been outraged over this as indicated by a Harris Decima poll, and rightly so.

The moves come as a new poll suggests four out of five Canadians believe their MPs are breaking the rules on expense claims.The Canadian Press Harris-Decima survey is bad news for parliamentarians who have collectively rejected a request by Auditor General Sheila Fraser to examine half a billion dollars in annual spending.

The Harris-Decima poll of just over 1,000 respondents found that just 12 per cent believe it unlikely that MPs are claiming expenses against the rules.The survey follows high-profile news coverage of expense claim scandals in Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and Britain.Fully 85 per cent of those polled said they were concerned about the MPs’ refusal to let Fraser look at their books, including 52 per cent who were very concerned.

The public does have a right to know how our MPs and Senators are spending our money. It just makes sense.
This is proof we can have an affect on our politicians and that we still have power over them. We need to keep our foot on their throats until the AG has access to whatever she needs and is actually in doing what she does best, making sure Canadians are getting value for money.

I want to thank my fellow Canadians for applying the pressure. Keep it up! We are their employers, they are our employees. Let us all keep that in mind.